Cleaning composition

ABSTRACT

A dry cleaning pre-spotter composition including soap, anionic and nonionic detergents, and organic dry cleaning solvents.

Siam 1191 1111 3,872,021 McKnight Mar. 18, 1975 [5 CLEANING COMPOSITION3,272,754 9/1966 Jaccard 252/559 3,630,935 12/1971 Potter 252/170 X 176]Inventor (key McKmght 3524 East 3,642,644 2/1972 01016 Eta] 252/170 xAvenue R, 96, Palmdale, Callf- 3,655,572 4/1972 Straus 252/558 x 935503,689,211 9/1972 Giz mpalmi et a1 252/170 x Filed: Nov. 1972 3,776,69312/1973 Smith et a] 252/170 X 21 Appl. No.1 305,931

Primary ExaminerStephen J. Lechert, Jr. [52] US. Cl 252/121, 252/122,252/126, 252/127, 252/170, 252/172, 252/173, 252/558, 252/559 51 Int. Cl..Cl1d 9/32 1571 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 252/121, 127, 122, 126,

252/558, 559, 170, 172, 173 A dry. cleaning pre-spotter compositionincluding soap, anionic and nonionic detergents. and organic [56]References Cited dry cleaning solvents.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,222,286 12/1965 Barnes 252/559 5 Claims, N0Drawings CLEANING COMPOSITION This invention relates to a dry cleaningpre-spotter formulation for treating textile materials before they aresubjected to conventional dry cleaning operations.

Previously, considerable difficulty had been experienced in providing apre-spotting formulation that will effectively remove a wide spectrum ofspots from textile materials. Such spots on textile materials may beformed by paints, greases, oils, beverages, inks, chemicals, and thelike. All of these stains may be found on one garment or in a randomsampling of garments that come through a dry cleaning establishmentduring the course of a day. It is very difficult to determine in someinstances precisely what the stain on the textile was caused by. Ifpre-spotting agents are used that are effective against one stain butare not effective in removing other types of stains, there is a riskthat the wrong cleaner will be used, and the stain will remain or,worse, it will be fixed in place so that it will be impossible to removeit. There is a need for a universal prespotting composition.

According to the present invention, a substantially universalpre-spotting composition for use in dry cleaning is provided.

The pre-spotting composition of this invention is an admixture includinga liquified soap, an anionic synthetic detergent, a nonionic detergent,and certain organic solvents.

The vehicle for providing the composition in an homogeneous liquidadmixture is a conventional dry cleaning solvent; such as, the petroleumdistillate solvents identified as Stoddards solvent or 140 Fahrenheitsolvent or the chlorinated solvents; such as, carbon tetrachloride,trichloroethylene, and perchloroethylene. The chlorinated solvents arepreferred, and perchloroethylene is the most preferred solvent vehicle.

The pre-spotting composition includes a substantial proportion of anamyl acetate which is an effective solvent for a wide variety of organicmaterials that frequently occur in spots on textiles.

The soaps that are suitable for use in this composition are conventionalsoaps that are used as dry cleaning detergents, including generally thesodium, ammonium, and potassium salts of fatty acids containing from 12to 18 carbon atoms. Typical soaps include sodium, potassium, andammonium stearate; sodium, potassium, and ammonium palmitate; sodium,potassium, and ammonium oleate; sodium, ammonium, and potassiumabietate; sodium, potassium, and ammonium ricinoleate; and the like.Also, the soap must be liquified in order to be incorporated in thepre-spotting composition. Conventional liquification procedures areemployed and include, for example, admixing the soap with an organicsolvent, a coupling agent, and water. As used herein, the term soap isintended to refer to the liquified sodium, potassium, and ammonium saltsof the fatty acids containing from about 12 to 18 carbon atoms.

Synthetic anionic detergents that are suitable for inclusion in thepre-spotting composition of this invention include the sodium,potassium, and ammonium salts ofthe alkyl aryl sulfonates in which thearyl group is generally benzene, and the alkyl group contains about toI5 carbon atoms. As used herein, the term anionic alkyl benzenesulfonate is intended to include the compounds wherein the cation issodium, potassium, or ammonia, and the alkyl group contains about 10 to15 carbon atoms.

Additional components of the pre-spotting composition include nonionicsynthetic detergents; such as, fatty acid-alkanolamine condensatesformed by condensing fatty acids with amines, such as diethanolamine;ethylene oxide-fatty acid condensate formed by the condensation of fromabout 12 to 15 mols of ethylene oxide with 1 mol of a fatty acid; andalkyl aryl polyether alcohols formed by the condensation of from about 9to 12 mols of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol; various othersurfactant glycols and ethers; and the like.

Throughout this specification parts and percentages are by weight unlessotherwise indicated.

A very effective and substantially universal prespotting composition ofthis invention is prepared according to the following formulation.

This formulation is tested on a wide variety of stains and fabrics,including oil, carbon black, paint, blood, and ink on silk, cotton,wool, rayon acetate, nylon, polyesters, and the blends of wool andpolyester.

The sodium oleate in this example is liquified by premixing it with thewater, Cyclohexanol, and methyl iso butyl ketone before admixing it withthe balance of the composition.

The composition set forth in this example is the preferred composition,however, substitutions and alterations may be made therein withoutadversely affecting the spot removal capabilities of the composition.For example, carbon tetrachloride or trichloroethylene may besubstituted for the perchloroethylene, and the proportion of the solventmay be varied from approximately 35 to 80 weight percent. Various soaps,such as ammonium stearate and potassium ricinoleate, may be substitutedfor the sodium oleate; and the proportion of the soap in thecomposition, including the agents required to liquify it, may range fromabout 4 to 15 percent by weight. Various liquification materials may beused; for example, methylcyclohexanol may be used instead ofCyclohexanol and various ketones; such as, methylamyl ketone, ethylbutylketone methylcyclohexanone, may be used if desired. ln general thequantity of materials required to liquify the soap are approximatelyequal to the weight of the solid soap before it is liquified for use inthe composition of this invention. The proportion of amyl acetate in thecomposition may be varied from approximately 5 to 20 percent and ispreferably employed in the range of from about 5 to 15 percent. Variousnonionic surfactant materials may be utilized, such as polyalkyleneoxide phenolic andv fatty acid condensates. In general the nonionicmaterials are present in amounts ranging from approximately I percent to10 percent and preferably from about 3 to 8 percent by weight.lfdesired, admixtures of various materials may be employed. For example,a mixture of sodium and ammonium oleate could be employed if desired.Likewise, admixtures of anionic or nonionic detergents may be used. Theanionic alkyl benzene sulfonate may be present in amounts ranging fromabout 5 to 20 weight percent and is preferably employed in quantitiesranging from about 8 to 15 weight percent of the composition.

What is claimed is:

1. A dry cleaning agent for textiles and the like comprising about 4 to15 weight percent of a high molecule weight fatty acid soap, about 5 to20 weight percent of anionic alkyl benzene sulfonate wherein the alkylgroup contains from about 10 to carbon atoms, about 5 to weight percentamyl acetate, about 1 to 10 weight percent of a nonionic detergent, andfrom about 35 to 80 weight percent dry cleaning solvent.

2. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1 wherein the high molecular weightfatty acid soap is sodium stearate.

3. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1 wherein the anizene sulfonate.

4. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1 wherein the nonionic detergentcomprises 2,3-bis(alkoxy)-l-proponal wherein the alkoxy group containsfrom about 10 to 15 carbon atoms.

5. A dry cleaning agent for textiles and the like comprising aformulation having the ingredients and approximate weight percentageconcentrations as follows:

Water 0.0); Methyl lsohutyl Kctonc 0.8 /1 Cyclohcxanol 2.9% SodiumOlcatc 2.4)? 2-Methylnaphthalcnc 0.9% 2,3-Bis(Dodcoxy)-l-Proponal 4.8%Amyl Acetate 12.5% Ammonium Dodecylbenzcne Sulfonate 10.8% NeopcntylcneGlycol 0.3% Perchloroethylene 640%

1. A DRY CLEANING AGENT FOR TEXTILES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING ABOUT 4 TO15 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A HIGH MOLECULE WEIGHT FATTY ACID SOAP, ABOUT 5 TO20 WEIGHT PERCENT OF ANIONIC ALKYL BENZENE SULFONATE WHEREIN THE ALKYLGROUP CONTAINS FROM ABOUT 10 TO 15 CARBON ATOMS, ABOUT 5 TO 20 WEIGHTPERCENT AMYL ACETATE, ABOUT 1 TO 10 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A NONIONICDETERGENT, AND FROM ABOUT 35 TO 80 WEIGHT PERCENT DRY CLEANING SOLVENT.2. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1 wherein the high molecular weightfatty acid soap is sodium stearate.
 3. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1wherein the anionic alkyl benzene sulfonate is ammonium dodecylbenzenesulfonate.
 4. The dry cleaning agent of claim 1 wherein the nonionicdetergent comprises 2,3-bis(alkoxy)-1-proponal wherein the alkoxy groupcontains from about 10 to 15 carbon atoms.
 5. A dry cleaning agent fortextiles and the like comprising a formulation having the ingredientsand approximate weight percentage concentrations as follows: